Off Side

by Tom Palmer

Published 6 May 2010

When Danny Harte finds out there's been an anonymous foreign buy-out of his favourite club, City, he's furious - the fans were about to buy it themselves. The club is being secretive and Danny is determined to find out what's going on - until he's caught staking out the club by the police and cautioned. His parents are furious, and his friends too. No one is talking to him.

But when Danny discovers Adam, a kid from Ghana, dumped by his agent who'd promised him a place as a junior at City, and lost in a foreign country he knows nothing about, Danny realizes there are worse ways of being alone. He decides to take Adam's story to the press - with terrifying consequences for them both . . .


Foul Play

by Tom Palmer

Published 1 May 2008

Foul Play: the second book in this crime fighting series by Tom Palmer

Danny is obsessed with two things: football - especially City Football Club - and investigating crimes. So when England and City footballing hero Sam Roberts is reported missing the day after Danny saw him being taken, blindfolded, into the bowels of the City FC stadium late at night, he's determined to get to the bottom of it. But is Danny getting into something he can't handle?

As well as being a huge football fan, Tom Palmer has an international reputation in reader development. He is a coordinator of the Reading Partners consortium, works with The Reading Agency, Booktrust and the National Literacy Trust, and has been the official writer for the Premier League Reading Stars scheme for five years. He is the author of the Football Detective series, also for Puffin Books. Tom lives in West Yorkshire with his wife and daughter.

Also by Tom Palmer:

Football Academy:

Boys United; Striking Out; Free Kick; Captain Fantastic

Foul Play:

Foul Play; Killer Pass; Dead Ball; Own Goal; Off Side

The Squad:

White Fear; Black Op


Own Goal

by Tom Palmer

Published 5 May 2011

Meet Danny Harte.
Football fan and crime detective.

Danny loves supporting his local team, City FC. So when everyone starts supporting the Italian team Forza FC, Danny is angry. His club is in jeopardy and needs their support. Danny decides to investigate the sudden popularity of the new team - starting with Forza's billionaire owner - and that's when the danger really kicks off. . .

Can Danny uncover the sinister reasons behind Forza's success - and save City at the same time?


Killer Pass

by Tom Palmer

Published 7 October 2010

In recent months there has been a spate of burglaries at the houses of players from Danny's favourite football club, City FC. Danny wants to know who's behind it all and is on the case.

But after scouting out the crime scenes, there are newspaper reports of a young boy having been seen hanging around.

Danny needs to find out who's behind these crimes - and fast. If he doesn't, he might have turned from crime detective into the biggest suspect of them all...


Dead Ball

by Tom Palmer

Published 6 August 2009

Russian billionaire Dmitri Tupolev and a mystery Englishman agree to fix an important match in Russia's favour by intimidating the England goalie, Alex Finn. But Alex goes against their wishes. His punishment: an 'accidental' car crash and he's out of the return game in Russia.

Something is going on with England's replacement goalie, and Danny soon finds himself caught up with the criminals of the footballing underworld. Will he unravel the match-fixing mystery?